Australian Open: First Grand Slam title for Wozniacki

Ⓒ AFP – WILLIAM WEST – | Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki is overjoyed after her success on Romanian Simona Halep in the final of the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 27, 2018

Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki won her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open by beating Simona Halep of Romania in three sets 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-4 on Saturday in Melbourne. .

27-year-old Wozniacki reclaims first place in the world, at the expense of Halep, six years after losing her in early 2012 after being N.1 for 67 weeks without a win in major tournaments.

No player had waited so long to find the top of the rankings.

The Dane was playing her third Grand Slam final. She had lost the first two, at the US Open in 2009 and 2014. She was also in her 43rd participation in major tournaments, making her the fourth most “late” player in history to win one.

After difficult times, she returned to her best level last year, winning the Masters at the end of October, her best title until Melbourne.

Wozniacki is known for its coverage of the field and its regularity of the bottom of the court, areas in which it has indeed excelled in the final, especially in the last exchanges.

But she was not content with a passive role. Often taking the initiative too, she made 25 winning strokes.

The new champion was almost eliminated in the second round by Croatian Jana Fett, who led 5-1 with two match points in the final set.

This final, very interesting, did not lack of twists. Wozniacki took the best start, breakant in the second match, but Halep came back, before giving in the tie-break.

In the middle of the second set, the Romanian seemed to be suffering from a blow of fatigue, in the hot and humid atmosphere of Melbourne (more than 30 degrees even after dark). But taking all the risks, Halep equalized to one set everywhere.

The last round gave rise to an exchange of breaks. By winning his fourth, Wozniacki won.